


There Is A Reason

by aos_skimmons



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-30
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-04-18 00:03:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4685141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aos_skimmons/pseuds/aos_skimmons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lexa swore she was a good driver. However, the number of times she failed her test say otherwise. </p><p>But technically it’s not her fault, she blames her hot driving instructor.</p><p>Celeb AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Alycia's new interview and a post on tumblr.

Lexa Woods was someone that always prided herself in being able to remain outwardly collected at all times.

It was a skill that she learned quickly after she was rocketed into stardom after starring in The Ground, a small independent film that became way more popular than anyone ever anticipated. Lexa had easily found another job after that, and another one after that and now she was a well-known name in most households.

It was this fame that was also responsible for her current situation. Lexa was sat in the lobby of her apartment block as she waited for the time to hit two o’clock. The time when her driving test instructor was supposed to walk through the doors only a few feet away from the leather sofa that she was sat on.

The 21 year old would have learned how to drive sooner, but in between the various jobs that she had been doing for the past three years she hadn’t found the time to put in the practice. She was just glad that soon she wouldn’t have to require a driver to bring her to places as mundane as the grocery store.

Lexa was going to go to the DMV like anyone else but after running that idea past her best friend, Anya quickly made her realise that it would be too big of a security hassle and it would be easier to just get an instructor to come to her.

Finally Lexa had agreed when her stubbornness wore off and she could see that Anya, was in fact, right. 

Another fifteen minutes passed and Lexa was starting to wonder where her instructor was. She had only just pulled her phone out of her back pocket to ring Anya when the doors were pushed open.

A woman around the same age Lexa was came through the doors carrying a clipboard. Her blonde hair was wild and thrown down her back. There was a scarce amount of makeup on her face and she had bright blue eyes. Lexa was immediately drawn to them.

She was beautiful, to say the least, and all Lexa could think of was  _shit_ , because her brain was quickly forgetting everything she knew about driving.

And then the woman was making her way over and Lexa stood up as she tried to ignore the way her heart instinctively began to beat faster.

“Sorry I’m late,” the blonde apologised immediately, “I wasn’t supposed to be your instructor but my friend who was called in sick last minute and they only phoned me twenty minutes ago,” she excused.

The woman looked slightly flustered and Lexa couldn’t help the small smile that appeared on her lips a second later.

“It’s fine,” Lexa said simply and the woman beamed at her.

“I was actually here like five minutes ago but the security outside your building is insane! This must be a nice place to live,” she said looking around idly.

“Sorry about that.” Lexa apologised.

“No need to be sorry, I’m the one whose supposed to be doing all the apologising today, I was late after all,” she said with a light laugh.

The sound danced through the air and Lexa inwardly cursed again because she should not be that affected by a laugh. 

_So much for being collected._

“I’m Clarke Griffin by the way, and I’ll be the instructor for your test,” the blonde said holding out her hand. Then Clarke glanced down at her clipboard quickly before saying, “And you must be Lexa.”

Lexa shook Clarke’s hand marvelling at the softness of her skin, as well as being pleasantly surprised that she hadn’t recognised her.

“I am.”

“Great, let’s get started then.”

And then Clarke was turning on her heel and walking towards the door she just came through. Lexa let a quiet sigh escape her lips before following.

_This was going to be interesting._

 

* * *

 

Lexa was sat behind the wheel and Clarke was in the passenger seat, her clipboard in her lap as they drove down the street. Lexa was distinctly aware of the black car that was following them and she knew it was her bodyguard. She ignored it.

Every so often Clarke would instruct her to pull over and then pull away again, checking that she could do so safely.

Lexa always thought she was a good driver, when she was learning her instructor told her she was and Anya said she wasn’t half bad either, which from her was definitely a big compliment. But here Lexa was feeling nervous as ever, and sure it wasn’t because of the actual driving but the hot instructor next to her, but it wasn’t making her driving any better, that was for sure.

“Now if you could follow the signs for Pasadena until I say otherwise,” Clarke said professionally, gesturing to the sign ahead of them that had the name of the city on it.

“Sure,” Lexa replied as she began to do just that.

“So have you lived in LA your entire life?” Clarke asked.

Lexa’s eyes flitted to Clarke before they returned back to the road ahead, “Uh no, I used to live in Chicago but I moved out here for work,” Lexa replied. Before Clarke could ask about her work she was quick to ask a question of her own, “Have you always lived in LA?”

“Yep,” the blonde replied. She brushed a hand through her hair exposing the fair skin of her neck and Lexa had unfortunately, at the same time, risked another glance at her instructor. She felt her throat go dry. “Born and raised.”

“Have you always wanted to be an driving instructor?”

At that question Clarke laughed loudly before quickly covering her mouth with her hand, not wanting to distract Lexa. The actress felt her cheeks heat up.

“I don’t think anyone strives to be a driving instructor Lexa,” she said with another chuckle and Lexa blushed even more.

“Right,” she said embarrassedly.

“This is just a part time job. I’m studying to be a doctor.” Clarke explained. “Ok you can stop following the signs now.”

Clarke then gave her directions as she drove, leading them to a smaller road where Lexa performed a parallel park. It was a little far from the curb but she figured she did all right. She didn’t hit any other cars at least.

And soon they were driving back to Lexa’s apartment building.

“How much longer do you have studying?” Lexa asked as she turned a right corner.

“This is my last year,” she replied.

“So you could say that you won’t lose your  _patients_  with me.”

Clarke burst out laughing and Lexa immediately blushed because she didn’t know what possessed her to say something so stupid and embarrassing.

“I can’t believe you just said a doctor pun to me.”

“Neither can I,” Lexa admitted quietly.

Clarke was still laughing to herself as a natural silence filled the air. It gave Lexa a chance to remind herself to never speak again. Ever.

Lexa glanced at Clarke again, noting the way she was gripping her pen lightly in her hand, how her right knee was bouncing ever so slightly and how there was a small smile almost permanently on her lips. It was only then that Lexa noticed the soft pinkness of the girls thin lips and—

“Lexa!”

Lexa gasped as she snapped her eyes back to road just in time to slam her foot onto the brake, bringing the car to an abrupt stop just millimetres behind a red jeep. Lexa’s heart was beating wildly in her chest.

A sheepish expression appeared on Lexa’s face as she looked to Clarke who was now clutching at her armrest.

“I’ve failed, haven’t I.” Lexa asked, but it sounded more like a statement.

“I’m not allowed to tell you that right now. Please continue driving when the light turns green,” Clarke replied.

But after a quick glance to Clarke’s eyes and Lexa found the answer in them.

Yeah, she failed.

 

* * *

 

Her theory was proved less than ten minutes later after they pulled up outside Lexa’s apartment and the words, ‘I’m sorry to say that you have failed your driving test’ came out of Clarke’s lips.

Lexa sighed but knew that it wasn’t unreasonable.

“I understand.”

“You were an excellent driver Lexa,” Clarke tried to assure, “Everything was going very smoothly up until the end.” She looked down at her sheet of paper; “You only received one minor when you didn’t look in your mirrors before moving off after the first stop sign. However, then you almost crashed into the back of that jeep and unfortunately that was your major.”

Lexa felt embarrassment course through her and she only hoped that Clarke didn’t realise that she had been distracted because she had been staring at her.

“So no almost crashing,” Lexa joked lightly.

Clarke chuckled, “Yes, no almost crashing.” Then Clarke was reaching for the door handle making Lexa doing the same. Clarke had a foot out the door when she turned back to the actor. “And maybe try and keep your eyes on the road.”

A smirk was on her lips and Lexa could only open and close her mouth as she tried to form words and recover from the now very real mortification that she was feeling. She sat there for a few moments to collect herself before climbing out the car after Clarke.

 

* * *

 

A few hours later Lexa was sitting in her apartment when the front door swung open and Anya sauntered in carrying a bottle of champagne.

“Sup bitch,” she said in a way of greeting. She held up the bottle in her hand, “I thought we could celebrate.”

“I didn’t pass,” Lexa replied and Anya’s arm fell back to her side.

“Wait what?”

“I didn’t pass.”

“But you’re a great driver.” Anya said. Lexa shrugged in response. “What did you do?” Anya asked as she came to sit next to Lexa on the sofa. She tucked her right leg underneath her, the other dangling off the sofa.

Again, Lexa shrugged earning a punch to her shoulder.

“Ouch!” Lexa yelped.

“Just answer the question Woods. You killed someone didn’t you?”

Lexa rolled her eyes, “I didn’t kill anyone.”

“Then what did you do?”

“I may have almost,  _almost_ ,” she emphasised, “crashed into another car at a red light.” Anya threw her head back and laughed, the sound was strong and sharp, a stark contrast to Clarke’s, Lexa remembered. 

“How the fuck did you do that?”

“I got distracted somehow,” Lexa said vaguely.

“Distracted by what? You should be focusing on the road,” she reminded pointedly.

Again Lexa felt her cheeks begin to blush and she wondered how one blonde driving instructor managed to make her this flustered. And she wasn’t even in the room with her anymore! She was never like this. Well not normally anyway.

Anya picked up on the strange behaviour almost immediately, “Oh my god, the driving instructor was hot wasn’t she?” Lexa’s silence was enough of an answer and Anya laughed again. “Shit Lexa, your gay is showing.”

“Shut up.”

Lexa tossed a pillow at her friend’s head but she caught it easily between two hands.

“But wait, the guy I talked to at the centre said he was sending a Mr something or other to test you,” Anya said, not remembering his name.

“He called in sick and Clarke was his replacement.”

“Ah so the hot driving instructor has a name.” Lexa glared at her friend but Anya just threw the pillow she caught a second ago back at her. Then Anya began to chuckle again, “I can’t believe you almost crashed because you were staring at your instructor.”

Lexa jumped up and stormed away from the sofa going nowhere in particular.

“She was hot! Ok?!”

And as Lexa stormed through the door into the kitchen the sound of Anya’s cackles filled the apartment.

 

* * *

 

Clarke opened Lincoln’s front door with the key that she ‘borrowed’ from him a few months ago. She found him stretched out on his small sofa buried under a pile of blankets, his feet hanging over the arm of the sofa. Mean Girls was playing on the TV (his ‘I’m sick’ movie) and there were tissues scattered across the floor.

It was clear that either Lincoln hadn’t heard Clarke come in or he was ignoring her because his head still hadn’t appeared out from the pile of blankets. Quietly she snuck over to the sofa and tickled his barefoot, which swiftly disappeared under a blanket. A groan followed a second later and then Lincoln was pushing the blankets off of his face.

“How you feeling Linc?” Clarke asked.

“Great,” he huffed.

“I brought you chicken noodle soup, you know the one you like from the Bistro down the street.”

Lincoln sat up and his multiple blankets toppled onto the floor at his feet. His chest was bare and he was only wearing a pair of blue and white striped boxers. Normally Clarke would take a few seconds to admire her best friend’s body. She may never like him  _that_  way but she could definitely appreciate a nice body when she saw one. 

But today she was more focused on Lincoln’s health.

The edges of his eyes were red, he would cough or sniff quite frequently and Clarke could tell that he was tired.

“You know, maybe if you wore more clothes you wouldn’t need so many blankets.” Clarke stated.

“I know,” he replied with a weak shrug, his voice sounding clogged up.

Clarke reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a bottle with pills and tossed them at him. “My mom gave you these, she said they’ll get rid of your cold,” she said as she headed over to the kitchen unit that was right next to Lincoln’s living room.

“Thanks,” Lincoln replied, popping open the lid and dry swallowing one.

Clarke pulled out a bowl from the cupboard and poured the chicken soup into it before heating it up in the microwave for a few minutes. After it was done she grabbed a spoon and brought the soup back over to Lincoln.

“Thank you,” he said gratefully before eating a spoonful.

“I bet you wish O could be looking after you rather than me,” she teased as she sat down next to him and he chuckled, a smile appeared on his lips at the mention of his girlfriend. 

“Yeah but you know that she can’t take time off or Indra would kill her.”

“True.” Clarke agreed as she thought about Octavia’s boss Indra.

Octavia worked for the local newspaper as an intern, she worked under the Editor in Chief and on multiple occasions Clarke and Lincoln have been on the receiving ends of one of Octavia’s rants about her.

“And besides, you’re alright too.”

Clarke bumped her shoulder gently against his so not to spill his meal, “Hey I just got you soup, I think I’m better than alright.”

“Very alright,” he corrected.

“I’m offended but I’ll take it.” Clarke replied.

“How was work by the way?” Lincoln asked next and Clarke was surprised because he never seemed this interested.

Clarke just shrugged, “It was fine. If you weren’t ill I’d hate you for making me come in on my day off to cover your ass. I almost died, you know."

Lincoln placed his almost finished soup onto the coffee table, “Ok, one, how did you almost die? And two, do you even realise who you were driving with today?”

“The girl, who by the way was probably one of the prettiest girls I’ve ever seen, got distracted and almost crashed into the car in front of us at a red light.”

A smile threatened to appear on Clarke’s lips as she recalled how she had noticed the girl staring at her out of the corner of her eye. She had been so focused on trying to maintain a neutral expression that she didn’t notice the red light and the stopped jeep until the last minute. And even though Clarke had barely known the woman, she had to resist the urge to maintain her professionalism and not ask her to coffee or some other thing that would keep them in contact with each other.

“Just ‘the girl’?” Lincoln asked, “Didn’t her name ring a bell?”

“Um…no? It was weird though. I was told to pick her up from her apartment, what was that about? I bet she was a daughter of a rich billionaire,” Clarke guessed and Lincoln rolled his eyes.

“Clarke it was Lexa Woods, you were testing Lexa Woods today,” he stated, too sick and tired to play a guessing game with her.

Lincoln rolled his eyes again when Clarke gave him a strange look. He snatched his phone off of the coffee table and typed away at the screen for a second before bringing up a picture of the famous actress.

“Lexa Woods, she was in The Killing, the movie that came out like a month ago?” he said as he showed her the screen and Clarke gasped because how did she not notice it sooner. “Finally!” he exclaimed, which ended up in him having a coughing fit.

Clarke rushed to get him a glass of water before sitting back down on the sofa.

“Holy shit.”

“You know for a soon to be doctor you aren’t very smart.”

Clarke glared at Lincoln, “I don’t think I need to be able to recognise celebrities faces to be a doctor Lincoln.”

“Whatever,” he grumbled. “So Lexa Woods almost made you have a car crash today, I bet not many people can say that.”

“I guess not.” Clarke laughed as she replied but really all she could think about was the girl that almost killed her, the girl that told her a one of the worst puns she’s ever heard in her life, the girl that made her heart race from just one look.

 

* * *

 

A week later and Clarke was back outside Lexa’s apartment. It had been an odd week. She had been completely surprised when she received an email telling her that she would be testing Lexa Woods again today, that she had been specially requested. 

Clarke had thought she would never see the girl again.

But here she was standing in front of the still impressive building. She was recognised by the guard outside this time and it was all beginning to make sense why there was so much security.

Clarke briefly wondered what other celebrities might live in the building before pushing the door open and walking inside.

 

* * *

 

Lexa was in the lobby of her apartment leaning against the arm of the sofa as she waited for Clarke to turn up. It was almost 11 o’clock so she still had a few minutes until the driving instructor was supposed to arrive.

The actress ran a hand through her hair as she repeated to herself over and over that she would focus this time. She was a good driver. She just needed to focus.

She glanced down at her outfit then and wondered for a moment if she had over dressed for a driving test. But then she shook that feeling off because she was only wearing a pair of black skinny jeans and a nice patterned shirt. Really it was only her make up that was different, as in she was actually wearing some today rather than having her face almost completely bare like last time.

Just then the door opened and Clarke strode in looking a lot less rushed than the first time she saw her.

“Hello Clarke,” Lexa said as she moved to greet her.

“Lexa, hi,” Clarke responded.

There was something different about her instructor this time and it didn’t take Lexa very long to figure it out. She has seen that same look in people’s eyes multiple times before.

“You found out who I am, didn’t you?” she asked hesitantly.

“I did, I’m sorry.” Clarke said looking rather nervous and Lexa laughed softly.

“I don’t think someone’s ever apologised for knowing who I am before.”

“I don’t think someone has ever told me a terrible pun and then proceeded to try and kill us both in under half an hour.” Clarke retorted and Lexa felt herself relax, because Clarke knew who she was and she wasn’t acting any different.

It was nice.

“Touché,” Lexa said, a smirk on her lips. “You don’t have to apologise, I was surprised when you didn’t recognise me when we first met,” she admitted. “…And I just realise how stuck up of me that sounded. Wow.”

Clarke laughed, “It’s fine,” she assured.

“And I’d just like to point out, I didn’t ‘almost kill’ us.”

“Oh really?” Clarke asked arching an eyebrow and Lexa didn’t understand how such a normal action could be so attractive on someone.

Lexa swallowed and nodded, “Yes. At most I would have been dealing with an angry driver and paying for their repairs.”

Clarke just shrugged, “I still think we could have died.” Lexa pouted and Clarke almost swooned at the sight. She quickly recovered and started towards the entrance, “Come on Pouty, lets see if you can keep your eyes on the road this time.”

 

* * *

 

Lexa would not take the blame for failing her driving test this time, because the reason was technically not her fault at all.  _Technically_.

They had been driving along the road and everything was going smoothly. Lexa had been mentally preparing herself to be in a confined space with such a hot instructor again and she was feeling a lot less nervous and flustered than she had the week before. 

Lexa had been driving really well and they were even managing a decent conversation between Clarke’s instructions.

And then, ironically, like a scene from an old movie, a rogue skateboard rolled into the road across her path. And ok, maybe if she hadn’t been trying to figure out what smell Clarke’s shampoo was, and maybe if Clarke hadn’t chosen that time to stretch her arm over her head, and maybe if Lexa hadn’t been momentarily distracted by the sight of Clarke’s stretching muscles and the fall and rise of her chest she would have reacted faster.

At least she didn’t  _hit_  the teenager.

A boy about the age of thirteen or fourteen had run out to snatch the board from the road and Lexa managed to slam on the breaks just in time leaving a good few feet between her and the kid.

So technically it wasn’t her fault, and technically there was no real damage. But Clarke still had to fail her.

 

* * *

 

“I thought you were a good driver.” Anya stated.

“I am.”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

“Shut up.”

“Maybe we should get you a different instructor.”

Lexa’s response was immediate. “No.”

Anya laughed for five minutes and then continued to tease her for hours.

 

* * *

 

The fourth time the actress failed her driving test, Lexa refused to take blame again. Because who the fuck would hide a stop sign behind a bush like that. And sure, the bush only covered the metal stand part, but it was all very deceiving.

Not to mention that Clarke’s shirt that day was particularly low cut. And Lexa swore she tugged the neckline up a few too many times to be considered normal, because the neckline wasn’t _that_ low.

So really it was partially Clarke’s fault. Not that Lexa said that to her.

Yes. It was definitely not Lexa’s fault.

 

* * *

 

“Driving tests cost money Lexa.”

“Shut up Anya.”

 

* * *

 

The fifth time Lexa failed her driving test Clarke had changed her perfume.

She could not be faulted for that.

Lexa knew that the smell of someone’s perfume should not distract her so much. But this was Clarke Griffin, and something about her got to Lexa in the best way possible.

So really, it wasn’t her fault because how was Lexa supposed to know that when she turned to look in the rear window while bay parking that she would get a whiff of Clarke’s new vanilla perfume. 

The dent in the other car wasn’t even  _that_  big.

 

* * *

 

Anya threw a pillow at Lexa’s head. “Just ask the girl on a date, dip shit.”

“Fuck off.”

 

* * *

 

The sixth time Lexa took her driving test Clarke greeted her with a warm smile and a hug and yeah, Lexa definitely liked that new perfume.

“Are you sure you’re not just failing on purpose so you can keep seeing me?” Clarke had joked lightly

“Maybe I am,” Lexa had teased back.

It wasn’t true, but it was definitely a bonus of having taken her driving test five times already.

This time Lexa was sure she was going to pass. Because everything had gone exactly to plan. No almost crashing into cars, no almost hitting people, no running stop signs. But then the stupid ambulance had to appear behind her.

Lexa had swerved to the side of the road and ok; maybe she did it a bit too violently. But suddenly the pavement was under her right wheel and then people had suddenly appeared there too, who she was sure weren’t there originally. But nonetheless, they were there and Clarke had to fail Lexa. Again.

“Surely it doesn’t count, I mean I didn’t actually hit that old man and I think technically I saved people by letting that ambulance pass me.” Lexa explained once they were parked outside of her apartment.

“Unfortunately, that’s not how it works Lexa,” Clarke replied.

“Ugh fine.”

“It sounds like you don’t want to see me,” Clarke joked.

Lexa spoke before her mind could filter her words, “Trust me, you are the only thing I look forward to about these tests.”

Lexa slapped a hand over her mouth.

Clarke’s heart fluttered.

 

* * *

 

“Have you fucked her yet?” Anya asked as she sipped from her beer.

“I hate you.” Lexa replied.

“So that’s a no. And you love me.”

“No I don’t.”

“Oh right, you love Clarke,” she sang.

“…I really hate you.”

 

* * *

 

The seventh time Lexa took her test Clarke greeted Lexa with a hug that lingered for a second too long. The hand on her bicep stayed even longer.

“So do you think today will be your day?” Clarke asked as they made their way to the car.

“I sure hope so.”

The drive was good. Lexa signalled every turn, looked in her mirrors before she pulled away and she always followed the speed limit. Clarke asked Lexa to pull over to the side and so she did but instead of pulling away when she was instructed Lexa stayed put.

“Lexa?”

Lexa turned to look at her instructor, who was glancing at her curiously. “Do you want to go on a date sometime?” she blurted.

But instead of slapping a hand over her mouth like she had done so many times before in front of the blonde, she instead kept eye contact with her, gazing into her eyes.

“A date?” Clarke repeated sounding surprised.

Lexa nodded, “Coffee or dinner maybe. Or both.” She bit her lip as she waited nervously for Clarke’s answer.

“Lexa-“ The actress felt her shoulder deflate as she sighed, she recognised that tone.

“Oh ok,” she said glumly.

“No Lexa wait,” Clarke said. Lexa, who was about to pull away from the side of the road, paused then. “I’d love to go on a date with you.”

“You would.”

“Yes,” Clarke nodded.

“Why do I hear a but in there somewhere?”

“You’re my student, officially I don’t think I’m allowed to date you.”

Lexa thought for a second. “So if I pass, we could go on a date?”

Clarke grinned at her words, at the determination in her eyes. “I’d say so yes.”

 

* * *

 

Thirty minutes later Lexa was handed her certificate.

She passed.

She also had a date with Clarke Griffin.

Today really was her day.

 

* * *

 

“So you finally asked her out, huh?”

“Shut up Anya.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ages ago I told an anon on Tumblr I would write a second part. Finally, here it is.

Clarke’s palms were sweating and she nervously rubbed them against the fabric of her dress. She looked over her appearance in her full-length mirror for the seventh time in the last five minutes.

The pre-med student didn’t normally stress about much, but now she couldn’t really help it because in not even ten minutes Lexa Woods would be picking her up for their date.

 _Lexa Woods_.

She paced back and forth in her bedroom, her mind running over everything that could possibly go wrong, from her getting food stuck in her teeth to tripping and falling flat on her face in her heels.

Then she felt something hit her back, and she turned to glare at the girl who was lounging casually on her bed, before eyeing the pillow that she had just been attacked with.

“Stop with the pacing,” Octavia stated.

Clarke glared at the girl. She had stumbled head first into Clarke’s life when Lincoln started dating her two years ago and they had instantly become close. Now two years later, Octavia was one of her closest friends.

“I can’t help it,” Clarke groaned. “Maybe I should just text Lexa and cancel.”

Octavia sat up then, pointing her finger at her, “No. You’re not going to do that. You haven’t stopped talking about this date for the past two weeks and now suddenly you want to bail?”

“She’s _Lexa Woods_ ,” Clarke exclaimed. “I am way out of my league here,” she huffed.

“Ok, for one thing you don’t even care about that stuff,” Octavia reminded and she did kind of have a point, “And two, Lexa is lucky to be going on a date with you. You’re beautiful, you’re smart, you’re funny-“

“Sounds like you want to go on a date with me,” Clarke joked.

Octavia sent her a pointed look. “I’m trying to help here Griffin.”

“You just don’t want me to cancel because then you won’t get to meet her. Why did I even let you stay anyway? You said you came to help me get ready but you spent the whole time on your phone playing Angry Birds.”

“Because you love me.”

“Not at the moment, I don’t,” Clarke scoffed.

_Buzz! Buzz!_

Clarke’s eyes widened dramatically and Octavia had to laugh at the look of terror that crossed her friends face.

“Oh my god she’s here,” Clarke gasped.

Octavia slipped off the bed so she could stand in front of the blonde. She placed her hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes, “You can do this Clarke, Lexa’s the one who asked _you_ out, remember?”

She thought fondly at the memory of Lexa stammering as she blurted out if she would go on a date with her as they sat in Lexa's car. 

Clarke took a deep breath, “Yeah you’re right.”

“Now go answer the door and don’t keep your lady waiting.”

“Oh! Right!”

Clarke dashed out of the bedroom, knocking into the door frame as she did so. Octavia slapped a hand to her forehead as she heard Clarke mutter, “Motherfucker.”

Clarke ran her hands down her dress again, this time to straighten out any wrinkles, even though they were non-existent. She stopped by the door. Took a deep breath and finally she pulled the door open.

Her jaw almost dropped when her eyes landed on her date. Lexa was dressed in a tight green dress that hung to her toned figure. Her hair was wild but in control, falling over one shoulder. She gripped one forearm with her hand, biting her lip as if she was nervous too. Her eyes wandered over Clarke’s appearance, and from her expression it was clear that she was having a similar reaction to Clarke.

“Uh hi.” Clarke stammered. “You look… _wow_.” She blushed at her own words. “I mean, you look- _wow_.”

Lexa chuckled, “You look pretty _wow_ yourself.” The actress mentally high fived herself for being so smooth. “I uh- I got you these.”

She hastily shoved a bouquet of yellow daisies into Clarke’s hands, some water droplets from the stems landing on her dress.

Lexa’s eyes widened, “I’m sorry!”

“It’s ok,” Clarke assured.

It was just water after all.

Both women blushed when she heard Octavia call from behind her, “You're both hopeless!”

A second later Lexa was arching an eyebrow at her, leaning to the left slightly to look over her shoulder at the speaker.

“Sorry. That’s my friend Octavia. She was helping me get ready.”

“Well she did a pretty amazing job.” Lexa replied smoothly. “Hello Octavia.”

Clarke glanced over her shoulder then too and saw the girl practically swooning.

“Oh my god Lexa Woods just said my name.”

Clarke gave Lexa an apologetic smile but Lexa just shook her head ever so slightly, like she got that kind of reaction all the time. And she probably did.

“Shall we go?” Lexa asked. “We have reservations for seven thirty.”

“Let’s go,” Clarke smiled.

Clarke left the apartment quickly after Octavia called out, “Don’t be too late kids!”

 

* * *

 

They were sat in the back seat of a range rover on their way to the restaurant. The driver, Gustus, who was also Lexa’s personal bodyguard was getting them there at an efficient pace, but it gave the two women a chance to talk.

“I’m sorry about Octavia,” Clarke apologised. “I should've know it would be a bad idea to let her be there.”

“She seems nice.” Lexa replied.

“She is.”

“She reminds me of my best friend, Anya.” Lexa said with a soft laugh, knowing that if Clarke had picked her up instead of the other way around, that she would have done similar things.

“Wait. Anya Black?” Clarke asked.

“The one and only.” Lexa nodded, surprised that the blonde didn’t know that they were friends considering how much they were pictured together.

“I love her music.”

“I’ll tell her that,” Lexa said, and then she backtracked, “Actually I won’t, she doesn’t need another ego boost.”

For the rest of the car journey Clarke decided that she wanted to get to know Lexa, the Lexa that the world didn’t get to see.

 

* * *

 

Soon they were pulling up to the restaurant, Lexa and Clarke climbed out of the car and then Gustus left to park it.

“We’re eating here?!” Clarke exclaimed. This restaurant was one of the top ones in LA, never in her life had Clarke thought she would ever be eating in a place like this.

Lexa looked at her nervously, “Is it ok?”

“I was just surprised,” Clarke said, “I’ve heard about this place.”

“Let’s go inside,” Lexa said, before guiding them both through the front door.

 

* * *

 

They were handed menus from the waiter but neither opened them yet, too caught up in each other to look through it just yet.

“You’re the most beautiful girl in the room, Clarke.” Lexa said, her voice huskier than intended.

Clarke blushed, she couldn’t help it. She liked goofy Lexa who thrust flowers into her hands and almost crashed a car because she couldn’t keep her eyes on the road but she also liked smooth Lexa too.

She was starting to think she would like all the different sides of Lexa that there were.

“I don’t know,” Clarke replied. “I think I have some pretty good competition,” she said, never breaking eye contact with her date.

 

* * *

 

They hadn’t even received their food yet when Lexa said, “We should leave,” in the softest voice that Clarke had ever heard her use.

She looked up at Lexa who was gazing at her with sincere eyes. The blonde shifted in her seat. They were in a far corner away from any prying eyes but Clarke still felt out of place, just like she had as soon as she had walked through the door of the restaurant.

It’s not that she didn’t want to be there. She did. But the whole fancy dining scene wasn’t really anything she was used to. There was even a chandelier hanging from the ceiling for god sake. 

“It’s ok.”

“You’re clearly uncomfortable.” Lexa stated.

Clarke shrugged. “I’m ok.”

“I’m sorry,” Lexa sighed. “I wanted to impress you and I wanted to treat you to a nice meal and then Anya suggested this place and I just went with it. I should have asked where you wanted to go. It was stupid of me-“

“Lexa stop.”

Clarke reached out to grasp the top of Lexa’s that had been resting on top of the white tablecloth. The actress’s eyes darted towards their hands then. Clarke squeezed reassuringly.

“I’m sorry,” she apologised again.

“I appreciate you going through all this effort, but you don’t have to impress me. I just wanted to spend time with you.”

Lexa nodded slowly, a smile creeping onto her lips. She turned her hand over so that she could grip Clarke’s too and the blonde felt a smile of her own appear.

“We should go,” Lexa said again.

“I don’t want to ruin this date.” Clarke said, suddenly feeling embarrassed for even making Lexa think she wasn’t having a good time.

“You won’t be. We can go somewhere else, and you can even choose the place.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive,” Lexa nodded.

After Lexa had informed the waiter, apologising and tipping well, Lexa and Clarke stood up, their hands coming together instinctively as they left the restaurant.

 

* * *

 

They were sat in a diner that Clarke had been coming to since she was a kid. They were sat in a booth, the fake leather worn underneath their thighs. The lighting was flat and they were two of the only people in there.

It wasn’t like the restaurant, where they were sat across from each other, Clarke feeling like she had to sit with her back straight and shoulders back.

Now they were sat side by side, the side of their pressed against each other’s. A few minutes ago, Lexa had placed her hand on Clarke’s thigh and the blonde hadn’t stopped thinking about it.

In all honesty, they looked ridiculous. Two young women dressed up in fancy clothes and perfect make up, sat in a diner that was a little rough around the edges.

They were completely out of place.

But the kind that made Clarke laugh rather than shift uncomfortably in her seat. The kind that made Lexa make stupid jokes.

“My mom used to take me to a place like this back in Chicago,” Lexa said.

“My dad showed me this diner when I was younger, I come here to feel closer to him,” Clarke disclosed.

Lexa’s eyes softened. She knew Clarke’s father had passed away, she had said it in passing, not dwelling on it at the time and Lexa hadn’t asked further.

“Thank you for bringing me here.”

 

* * *

 

“Sometimes I wish life was always like this. Always this quiet.” Lexa murmured.

They had been sat in the diner for hours. Their food long gone and now half drunk cups of crappy coffee were sat in front of them.

“Acting not all it’s scratched up to be?” Clarke asked.

“It has its moments.” Lexa replied. Clarke gave her a look and Lexa rolled her eyes. The blonde had to stop herself from smiling, Lexa rolling her eyes was quickly becoming one of her favourite things. “Ok. It has a lot of moments. But I do wonder what would have happened if I had decided to be a librarian instead.”

Clarke snorted and Lexa glared. “You wanted to be a librarian?”

“I like books Clarke,” she stated, defensively.

Clarke smiled, her eyes shone. “For some reason, that doesn’t surprise me at all.”

 

* * *

 

“Did you know you’re the most beautiful girl in the room?” Lexa said, before bringing her now cooling up of coffee to her lips.

Clarke grinned, her eyes glanced around the empty diner. “You know we’re the only people in here. Apart from Gustus,” she added.

Lexa shrugged. “And it would still be true if it were packed full of people.”

 

* * *

 

“We should leave,” Lexa blurted out in a hushed whisper.

“Where do you want to go?” Clarke replied, in her own quiet tone.

“Anywhere.”

Clarke grinned widely at the adventurous spark in Lexa’s voice. The excited look in her eyes.

“Ok, let’s go.”

Clarke moved to slide out of the booth but Lexa’s hand on her wrist pulled her back. She threw a glance over her shoulder at where Gustus sat a few booths away reading a day old newspaper.

“We should ditch Gustus.”

Clarke’s eyes widened, “What? Isn’t he there for your protection.”

“He’s _always_ there.”

And then Clarke understood.

Lexa wanted a night to feel normal, to just be Lexa rather than Lexa Woods the A list actress, the movie star, the celebrity.

“We could sneak out the back?”

She had to run out there once when one of her exes had come into the diner a week after a messy break up.

“Lead the way.”

It looked like they are heading to the bathroom and Gustus barely lifted his head from his paper to see where they’re going before returning his focus to the page in front of him.

They felt like teenagers in a clichéd movie and an exhilarated laugh bursted from Lexa’s throat as they pushed the creaky door open and slipped into a dark alleyway.

Clarke practically fell into Lexa’s arms when the actress stopped suddenly to spin around to face her date.

Lexa’s hands slid to Clarke’s waist and in that moment all she wanted to do was kiss her.

So she did.

 

* * *

 

Their first kiss was under a broken light that flickered every two seconds.

Their first kiss was in a damp alleyway behind the diner.

Their first kiss was filled with giggles and way too much smiling.

And it was perfect.

 

* * *

 

They escaped to a park but they don’t go in. Instead they found a bench under a tree and sat down. Clarke brought their lips together again for their second kiss and it’s just as perfect as the first.

“This is my favourite first date.” Lexa stated.

“Me too.”

 

* * *

 

When Gustus found them forty minutes later he cleared his throat and they broke their kiss.

Gustus reprimanded them for sneaking off like he was Lexa’s father.

And Lexa even looked guilty. 

They decided to call it a night then and when Gustus waited for them to walk first, so he could stroll behind them like normal, Lexa sent Clarke a wink and a smile that made her weak at the knees.

 

* * *

 

The car stopped outside Clarke’s building and they both hated that their night was coming to an end.

The two women both got out of the car, Lexa telling Gustus that she was just going to walk Clarke in.

“The first of many,” Lexa murmured hopefully in her ear as she wrapped an arm around Clarke’s waist and pulled her against her side.

The prospect of a future with the beautiful women sent butterflies straight to Clarke’s stomach and she found herself repeating, “The first of many.”

They kissed outside Clarke's apartment, Lexa’s back pressed against the door, her fingers digging wonderfully into Clarke’s hips.

Clarke was almost tempted to invite her in but she refrained.

When Lexa finally left Clarke slipped into her apartment and closed the door behind her, only to lean against it, a content smile on her lips.

And all she could think about was,  _the first of many_.

 

* * *

 

They went on several more dates over the following months. Sometimes they went out, sometimes they stayed in and watched movies, curled up on either of their sofas in comfy clothes and messy hair.

And over those months they got to know each other.

Clarke learned that Lexa hates olives in her food but would eat cans and cans of them on their own. She learned that Lexa hated watching herself in movies. She learned that the skin behind Lexa’s knees was particularly ticklish and that she absolutely hated the sight of blood.

Lexa learned that Clarke could draw (she compared her art to Monet and Clarke shoved her on the shoulder telling her to shut up, but all Lexa did was smile when she saw the blush had crept onto her cheeks). She learned that Clarke was a terrible cook but a fantastic baker. She learned that she was closer to her friends than her family, and so much more.

 

* * *

 

 

By their fourth date they had made their relationship official.

 

* * *

 

It took the media a surprisingly long time to catch onto their relationship.

But then one morning Octavia woke Clarke up by shoving a magazine into her face only to have Clarke grumblingly ask how the hell she even got into her apartment.

The front page was taken up by a crappy photo of herself and she immediately recognised it from when she had just gone to the grocery store to pick up food to cook for Lexa later that night.

(The meal had been dry and burnt at the edges. And even when Clarke had told Lexa they should just order in, Lexa ate every bite. Later that evening she had thrown up into the toilet, insisting after that it wasn’t because of Clarke’s cooking. To this day Lexa had been the one to handle all their home meals.)

Later that morning Clarke opened her door to a flustered looking Lexa, an apologetic look in her eyes, her fist wrapped tightly around her own copy of the magazine that was now sat on her bedside table.

“I’m sorry,” she rushed out.

Clarke glanced down the hallway before pulling Lexa into her apartment.

“Don’t be.”

“Your privacy will be practically non-existent now.” Lexa said with a shake of her head.

“I know what I was getting into when I went on that first date Lexa.” Clarke assured her, her hands coming up to cup Lexa’s cheeks.

“I don’t want to lose you," Her voice shook.

“You won’t.”

A pause.

“Did you know you’re the most beautiful girl in the room?”

Clarke grasped Lexa’s wrist. She pulled her close, closing the gap between their lips.

 

* * *

 

Clarke couldn’t leave her apartment without being surrounded by paparazzi, all shouting questions and snapping pictures.

She tried to not let it affect her but it was intimidating. It was scary.

Lexa had told her that she could get her a bodyguard but Clarke had firmly shut that idea down.

Her privacy was already gone every time she left her apartment. She didn’t need a baby sitter either.

“Clarke, a bodyguard isn’t a baby sitter. They’re looking after you life.”

“I’m not having one Lexa.”

“Clarke, just listen to reason.”

It was been their first big argument, ending with Clarke storming out of Lexa’s apartment, only to have her sit in the lobby of the apartment block because the door was blocked by paparazzi.

Lexa came down half an hour later, surprised to see her sitting there on one of the sofas. But after one glance towards the glass doors she immediately understood why Clarke hadn’t left yet.

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too.”

“But I do have an idea.”

Lexa asked Clarke to move in with her then.

She said it was for safety reasons, she said that it would mean that Gustus would be around her more then and that it was closer to where Clarke was doing her residency anyway.

But really it was just an excuse for Lexa to ask the question she had been mulling over for the past couple of weeks.

Clarke said yes and Lexa broke out into a happy smile, before pulling her girlfriend in for a kiss.

The next day the kiss was on the front of most magazines.

Neither of them cared.

 

* * *

 

Lexa was sat on a comfortable chair, and Raven Reyes sat in one across from her.

There was a large camera facing both of them, and an audience behind it.

Her manager told her about the interview on Reyes Today and Lexa happily agreed to it, knowing it was good press and not to mention that she actually really liked Raven as a talk show hostess and as a friend.

She had been asked questions about her most recent film, any up coming jobs and now, just like she expected, Raven asked her about Clarke.

“And I’ve heard you’re in a new relationship,” Raven started. “How is that going?”

“Really well, thank you” Lexa said, a smile appearing just at the thought of her girlfriend.

“You look like you’re in love.”

And Lexa didn’t deny it, because that would be a lie.

They hadn’t exchanged those words yet though so she just shrugged, “She’s always the most beautiful girl in the room.”

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come chat to me at [thehaughtcommander](http://thehaughtcommander.tumblr.com/).


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